Sleigh Bells Are Ringing
by brahdley jims
Summary: but i know if i close my eyes my wishes will come true, like the one i've saved for you. - nextgen Christmas drabble series.
1. For Vicky

**an: **_this is my {late} christmas present to everyone over at the RoseScorpius Fans forum. i hope you all enjoy, and please don't favourite without leaving a review. :)_

**for Vicky.**

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><p>"Teddy, help me put this up?"<p>

Victoire stood before their Christmas tree, the star that belonged at the top in her hand. Teddy stopped decorating the fireplace with tinsel and came to her side.

"We're not still using that old thing, are we?" Teddy asked, looking amused. The star had been used every year at Bill and Fleur's since Victoire had been five. She'd made the star with a truckload of glitter, yellow paint and sticky hands, and over the years it had become worn and tattered. Victoire had sneaked it out her old home on moving day, unable to bear the thought of Christmas without it.

"Yes, I always have it," she said defensively, folding her arms beneath her chest. "Now help me out, please?"

Still grinning, Teddy very carefully lifted Victoire up so she could place her star on top of the tree. He didn't let go of her when he brought her down, but instead wrapped his arms around her as she leaned into him.

"Our very first Christmas in our own house," Teddy whispered, gazing at the softly glowing lights of the tree, charmed to float in the air.

"And this time next year, we'll have someone new to share it with," Victoire said, placing a hand on her swollen belly.

Teddy couldn't help the beam that took over his face at the thought of that. His own son to go to Quidditch matches with, or his own daughter to embarrass in front of her boyfriends. Or the other way round – Teddy really didn't care who his child turned out to be; as long as they were happy, they would have his full support. Teddy knew better than most what it felt like to not have your parents there for you.

"Oh!" Victoire suddenly gasped, blue eyes widening.

Teddy's heart rate sped up, automatically thinking the worst. "What is it?"

"The baby just kicked!" She grabbed his hand and pressed it to her stomach, looking at him hopefully. Sure enough, the tiny pressure against his hand was all it took for Teddy to grin like an idiot and sweep his wife into a bone-crushing hug.

"Ow – Teddy, watch it!"

But Victoire couldn't stop smiling, and neither could Teddy. Because now it seemed so much more real and exciting. The baby, their baby, their little girl or boy, was alive and well and kicking – literally.

They'd never been happier.


	2. For Alice

**an: **_part two. please don't favourite with leaving a review! :)_

**for Alice.**

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><p>"Dinner's ready! Everyone come sit down!"<p>

There was half a second of silence when Mrs Weasley's call drifted in from the kitchen. Then the dam burst open – yells filled the whole house as the entire Weasley-Potter-Lupin clan scrambled to get a favoured seat.

"Ow, Hugo, that was my head!"

"I bagsy the seat next to Fred!"

"George, stop being so childish, you can't climb over their heads!"

"I think Lily's suffocating!"

"Dom, you're sitting on me!"

"I'm _not _sitting in between James and Uncle Ron, you know they eat most of the Brussels sprouts!"

"If we don't get to the dinner table alive, Albus inherits the house – Merlin knows what James would do to it –"

Eventually, everyone had found a seat, some looking more pleased than others – or if they hadn't, they were perched on somebody's lap pretending they had a chair of their own. James, Fred and Hugo started to reach towards the turkey, but their mothers slapped their hands away.

At the end of the table, Mr Weasley opened his mouth as if preparing to make a big speech – but instead waved his hand and said, "Merry Christmas, everyone. Tuck in!"

The whole table cheered, and the adults tried to restrain things before there was another near-massacre. Once everyone had their food, they split off into different conversations, some people having to shout across the table to each other.

Molly was chatting quietly with Roxanne, when something was shoved under her nose. She looked up, to see Lysander Scamander, visiting for Christmas, grinning crookedly at her.

"Will you pull my Christmas cracker?"

Molly burst out laughing. "You – my – _Christmas cracker!"_

Lysander's grin widened. "So is that a yes?"

Molly shook her head, defeated. "Fine."

She ended up with the party hat, and on the _crack! _two turtle doves flew out of the cracker and circled overhead, before swooping through the open window.

Molly raised an eyebrow as everyone glared enviously at the doves – Uncle George had managed to replace most of the crackers with trick ones. At least half the guests were covered in some sort of suspicious, bubbling liquid now. "Maybe we should swap innuendos again sometime."

Of course, it was only a matter of time before the first Brussels sprout was flung. Victoire froze as it hit her eye and stuck there for a few tense seconds.

"Oh Merlin, no," Angelina groaned, as Bill swore under his breath and Lily tried to slip under the table to escape.

"LOUIS!" Victoire's shriek prompted the first movement.

"FOOD FIGHT!"

And that was how the annual yet unofficial Christmas Day food fight of 2022 begun. Soon enough, gravy and vegetables covered every available surface and many people's faces, as yells, laughter and cursing echoed around the kitchen.

"Just one year where dinner didn't escalate into this…" Hermione sighed, a splodge of cranberry sauce hitting her square in the face as her son whooped in triumph.

Molly found herself desperately trying to fend off the turkey – or what was left of it – Lysander was attacking her with.

"Please, have mercy!" she cried with a laugh, half of her finding the whole situation hilarious and half of her genuinely terrified for her life. Lysander smirked mischievously.

"I will – if you kiss me."

Molly didn't miss a beat. "But my face is covered in turkey grease, now."

"Doesn't bother me if it doesn't bother you."

When she laughed even harder at the absurdity of it all, Lysander decided to stop her in her tracks before she really got the giggles, and pushed his lips onto hers.

It was a full three minutes before everyone finally noticed what was going on in the middle of their food fight.

"What are they _doing_?"

"I believe Lysander has finally gotten round to stuffing Molly's turkey."


	3. For Maddie

**an: **_part three. these don't go in any order, by the way. o.O please don't favourite without leaving a review! :)_

**for Maddie.**

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><p>"Mum! Mum, it's snowing!"<p>

Lucy raced to the window, clambering onto the seat and pressing her face against the cold glass. Her breath frosted up the window, and she grinned.

"Can I go outside?" she pleaded, twisting around to turn the puppy eyes on her mother.

Audrey glanced out the window, the clatter of dishes in the sink pausing momentarily. "Oh – go on then – but you need to wrap us warm – Lucy!"

The nine-year-old was already out the door, shoving her feet into her boots and tugging her coat on. She ran through the quickly thickening layer of snow on the ground beneath her, kicking up flurries of snow with her feet and disturbing the pristine perfection. The snowflakes gradually slowed down, individual ones catching in the brown strands of her hair. Laughing, Lucy collapsed onto the ground and set to work making snow angels.

It didn't take long to grow bored. They was only so much you could do on your own in the snow. Trudging to the back door – thoroughly soaked through now – Lucy stuck her head inside.

"Mum, can you ask Molly if she'll come play with me?" she called into the house.

"No!" fourteen-year-old Molly's voice drifted in from the living room. Lucy rolled her eyes. Molly had become no fun at all since she'd hit thirteen.

"Lucy! Lorcan's here!" Audrey emerged in the kitchen, Luna Lovegood at her side. Luna raised her hand to wave at Lucy, and then Lorcan inched out from behind her, his mop of dirty blonde hair covering his green eyes.

"Lorcan! Come play with me!"

Without waiting for an answer, Lucy grabbed his hand and pulled him out the back door. Letting go of him, she charged into the snow again, but came to a halt when she realised Lorcan wasn't following her. She turned around to see Lorcan standing awkwardly on the sheltered patio.

"Aren't you coming to play?" Lucy asked uncertainly.

"I – I've never seen snow before," Lorcan admitted shyly.

Lucy stared at him, blinking a few times. "How can you _not_ have seen snow before?"

"We always go away around Christmas," Lorcan shrugged, cheeks going a bit pink. "If there's snow, we always miss it."

"Oh." Lucy frowned, still unable to get her head around this concept. "Well – snow's great. You'll love it, I promise you. Come on, I'll show you. Nothing to be scared of."

Reaching her hand out, Lucy smiled encouragingly. Lorcan hesitated before taking it, stepping into the snow. He winced at the cold.

"Maybe you should have worn better shoes," Lucy said, looking down at his sandals. "Wait a minute."

She ran inside to fetch him a pair of her trainers. If he was put off by the fact they'd been bought for a girl, he didn't let on, and slipped them on.

Half an hour later, the pair were tearing around the garden, snowballs flying everywhere and a half-finished snowman sitting in the middle of the warzone, laughing their heads off.

Audrey joined Luna at the kitchen window, watching their children. "Ten years from now?" she asked.

Luna considered. "I'd give it five." She looked sideways at Audrey. "Did you know you have an infestation of Hibbly Vrumps in your fireplace?"


	4. For Ro

**an: **_part four. please don't favourite without leaving a review! :)_

**for Ro.**

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><p>"So what goes in with the flour?"<p>

Lucy paused in her gathering of ingredients, looking over to where Albus stood gazing dumbly at a large bowl of flour. "Albus, I thought you said you knew how to make gingerbread."

"I do! It's just… been a while?"

Lucy laughed, lining the rest of the ingredients up on the counter before going to help Albus. "You need to sift in the bicarbonate of soda, the salt, and of course all the spices and flavours."

She began to show him how it was done, sweeping her hair to the side before she started. As she explained to him how she was sifting the ingredients, Al was shamelessly not listening or watching her hands, because he had an excellent view of her swan neck and her profile. Lucy had unusually tanned skin for a Weasley, as well as a freckle-free complexion and rich brown curls, which made sure she wasn't recognisable as a Weasley. Albus was grateful for this, because it meant that it was easier for him to stare at her like this. Like she wasn't a Weasley and wasn't related to him.

"Earth to Albus. Anybody home?

"Yes, he's home and ready to gingerbread! … I mean, uhm, when's the gingerbread done?"

Lucy blinked. "Uh, it's not. We need to actually make it before we put it in the oven." She tapped her nose twice. "Sshh, it's our best kept secret."

"Oh." Albus went red, turning away. "So what can I do?"

He assisted Lucy in preparing the gingerbread – or rather, she made it and he asked questions, then went crazy when he got to cut the shapes out and delighted in creating an extended family, complete with five pets, a designer apartment with an en suite bathroom and a 'Loudy' ("Audi", Lucy corrected him quickly). They finally got the gingerbread in the oven with minimal burns on Albus' part and maximum amount of flour covering themselves and the kitchen.

"You haven't made gingerbread before, have you, Al?" Lucy said, fixing him with a knowing smile.

"Yes, actually, I have."

"How old were you?"

"… Three."

"Uh huh. Don't worry, I forgive you for being completely useless," Lucy shrugged, leaning against the kitchen table.

"I wasn't completely useless!" Albus protested, walking closer to Lucy until he was pressed up against her, arms either side of her with hands resting on the table. "Besides, it gave me a chance to be with you all afternoon."

Lucy chose to ignore this last statement and instead smirked up at him, a teasing glint in her eyes. "Prove to me you're not useless, then."

Albus didn't need telling twice. Without hesitation, he leaned down to wrap his arms around her waist and kiss her.

Needless to say, the gingerbread was more than a little burnt ("My Loudy! No!") by the time Albus and Lucy actually remembered it was there.


	5. For Cassie

**an: **_part five. please don't favourite without leaving a review! :)_

**for Cassie.**_  
><em>

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><p>"Come on, Evans, join in for once!"<p>

James Potter stumbled in front of Lily Evans, a grin on his face. Lily looked up, nose wrinkling up in disgust at the sight of his rumpled clothes, sticky Firewhiskey bottle in his hand, and – well, just _him._

"No, thank you," she sniffed, turning her head back to her book. "I'm fine here."

"Evans, are you _studying?" _James stared at her in disbelief, absently straightening his askew glasses.

"Yes. What's it to you?"

He frowned. "It's Christmas! Nobody studies at Christmas!"

Lily sighed heavily, closing her book and putting it down beside her. "James, we don't go home for the holidays until tomorrow morning. Technically, I am quite within my rights to keep studying."

"Merlin, Evans, I swear you were never this much of a party pooper before," James said, wiping his forehead as he took a seat on the arm of Lily's chair. Lily rolled her eyes, inching away from him.

"It's our seventh year, James. While you and Sirius found it necessary to throw this party for all the Gryffindors, others would call it the most important year in our Hogwarts career."

"Really? Because nobody else is shoved away in the corner with their nose in a book."

Lily smirked. "Actually, Marlene promised me she would – oh."

James followed her gaze to where Marlene McKinnon was lip-locked with Sirius.

"See? Even Marlene is getting some."

Lily gaped like a goldfish. "Well – I – James, just go away before I – oh, no."

A sprig of something green had found its way over their heads.

"Mistletoe," James said unnecessarily. "You know, if you try to get away with not kissing the other person, your skin breaks out in boils."

Lily had no way of finding out if James was lying or not, but she didn't doubt his ability to charm the mistletoe in such a way.

"I – oh, for Merlin's sake," she muttered, regretting everything bad she'd ever done which must have amounted to the bad karma she was experiencing tonight. "What are you waiting for, then?"

James' eyes lit up – like he didn't quite believe she would actually go through with it. "Wait – are you sure?"

"I don't want boils!" Lily whisper-shrieked, and before she could chicken out, grabbed James' shirt and yanked him forward, connecting her lips with his.

She didn't know what she'd expected. Kissing James to remind her of kissing a slimy toad, perhaps? But it wasn't like that, at all. She found herself slipping away, melting into the kiss. James was gentle, soft, not rough and insistent like she'd feared. It all ended far too soon.

"So?" James breathed, pulling back, hazel eyes searching her green ones.

Lily gulped, hesitating a few moments. "Can we find more mistletoe?"


	6. For Everyone

**an: **_part six. please don't favourite without leaving a review! :)_

**lastly, this is for everyone. because there are too many of you to write individual drabbles for. *_* for Rae&Amy&Louise&Naomi&Summer&Middy&Jane&Nikki&Tatoe&Yellow&Jac and anyone else I've dared to forget. o.O i hope you all had an amazing Christmas, and best wishes for 2012. :)**

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><p>Rose collapsed on the sofa, pointing her wand at the old Muggle radio to turn it on. "I think that's the last of the Christmas wrapping done. At last," she sighed, propping her feet up on a cushion.<p>

"Your parents are coming round before lunch, aren't they?" Scorpius walked into the living room to join her. "And remember we're going to my parents' in the evening."

Rose nodded. "And if my mum asks –"

"- I'll say that you made Christmas dinner," Scorpius grinned.

"But if it's bad –"

"- admit that I cooked it. Yeah, you've briefed me. But my cooking is never bad."

"Hmm. Yeah, I know," Rose smiled, lifting her legs so Scorpius could sit down.

He perched on the edge of the sofa awkwardly, looking nervous all of a sudden.

"Scorp? Are you – oh Merlin, what are you doing?"

Scorpius was now kneeling on one knee before Rose, causing her to sit upright quite quickly. He fished a small black box out of his pocket, and opened it to reveal a slim, silver band with a gleaming diamond catching the dim light of the lamps. An engagement ring.

"Oh my…" Rose breathed.

"Rose Nymphadora Weasley, you have been my girlfriend for three years, but more importantly, you've been my best friend for ten years, since we were eleven. We've had our up and downs – in fact, I can remember many a time when we screamed the house down at each other," he said sheepishly, making Rose frown. "Anyway, the good times… they're everything to me. I've made memories with you that I'll treasure forever, and I want to make so many more. I want to spend the rest of my life with you, Rose. Will you marry me?"

Rose's eyes quickly filled up with tears, her hand flying to her mouth. "Scorpius!" she cried, flinging her arms around his neck and nearly sending him toppling to the floor. She laughed into his shoulder.

"So… is that a yes?" Scorpius half-chuckled. Rose smiled, punching him playfully on the shoulder.

"What do you think, you gorgeous idiot?"

An old Muggle Christmas song began to play on the radio. Scorpius stood up, extending his hand out to Rose. "May I have this dance?"

Rose giggled, placing her hand in his and letting him haul her up. "You may."

Scorpius placed one hand on her waist and held her hand with the other, dancing around the room. It was playful, free, young, and naïve as they twirled across the carpet, dipping and spinning to the tune of the song. It was everything they were now, everything they wanted to be until they had no choice but to grow up. And when they did, it would be with each other. And everything might be so very hard to begin with, and all the way throughout, but they had each other, forever and in this very moment as they danced through the late hours of Christmas Eve.

At some point, the dance slowed and Scorpius held Rose in his arms, close to his chest. Somewhere outside in the snowy night, bells began to chime, marking the first few seconds of Christmas Day as the song drew to its end.

"I love you, Rose," Scorpius murmured, his forehead resting against hers.

"Merry Christmas, Scorpius," she whispered back, tilting her head up to kiss him.

_and the bells were ringing out for Christmas Day._


End file.
